New Spanish fishing armada is coming if Brown fails to stop Commission proposal

Brussels, 10th April 2008 — A new Proposal from the European Commission which was approved in the European Parliament could allow the Spanish fishing fleet to grab UK quota and displace British fishermen in the North Sea.

If the proposal is endorsed by the Council of Ministers, the Commission will be able to give any unused fishing quota from one EU country to another. Unused UK quota could be given to Spain or any other major fishing nation. According to Sir Robert Atkins MEP, this would clearly undermine the entire concept of relative stability and as such, would destabilise one of the core principles of the CFP.

Sir Robert said: “This is a Trojan Horse as it will give right of access to fishing opportunities previously allocated to other member states.

“With 60% of the Britain’s fishing fleet now lost because of the Common Fisheries Policy, is Gordon Brown going to condemn the fisherman that remain by dithering on this proposal when rejection in Council is the only option?”